


Trials and Tropes

by JamieHasCatEyes



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien's Perspective, Alya's perspective, F/M, Fluff, Marinette's Perspective, Unintentional Cuddling, nino's perspective, partial reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-13 01:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13559865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieHasCatEyes/pseuds/JamieHasCatEyes
Summary: Adrien shook his head in disbelief. After reading all of those fan fictions, it had finally happened. He was caught in one of his least favourite tropes - stuck in a hotel room with a pretty girl and only one bed.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back from my week away! I wrote this while I was gone. I hope you enjoy it.  
> Now, it's late and I'm tired, so I'll just leave this here, typos and all.  
> Depending on how much feedback I get, I may even be bothered to write more of it. Who knows?  
> Please don't murder me <3

Adrien stared at the hotel key card in his hand, then at the room door, with wide eyes. Marinette was staring at her feet, her face redder than he had ever seen, as she clutched her own key card.

'There must be some mistake,' she stammered. 'I'll go check with reception.'

Adrien watched as Marinette turned and fled down the hall, only stopping to frantically press the elevator button.

Adrien sighed. Picking up his small suitcase, he swiped the card through the lock and opened the door. Glancing back at Marinette's little pink suitcase, he decided to drag that in, too. There were all kinds of unsavoury elements wandering around, and Marinette would be upset if someone stole her belongings.

The bags weren't heavy, but it was awkward dragging them both over the threshold while the door kept swinging shut. Adrien walked backwards so he could manoeuvre them simultaneously while elbowing the door to keep it open. After a short struggle, he had both suitcases in the entrance nook of the hotel room.

Adrien smiled as he looked around. Hanging on the left wall was a watercolour landscape and a television sat on a low entertainment unit in the corner. In front of it was a coffee table and two small armchairs. Directly opposite the entrance, behind the coffee table and chairs, was a large window overlooking a carpark. Adrien winced at the blackout curtains, a hideous mix of jade, yellow, pink, blue, and purple.

To the right of where he stood, there was a door to the bathroom. Adrien peered in and saw a glass shower screen in front of him, a basin to his left, and a toilet to his right. It was tiny and basic, but clean. Adrien took the opportunity to use the bathroom.

Wiping the water from his hands on his jeans, he turned into the room properly and stopped, eyes wide. The door rattled and opened as Marinette burst in, panting as she rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

'Reception says there was no mistake and Madame Bustier says there's nothing she can do. She just said to make it work,' Marinette finished hesitantly, her face red once more.

Adrien said nothing as he looked from Marinette to the lone double bed before him.

Marinette straightened, a quizzical expression on he face. 'Is something wrong?' she asked, wringing her hands.

Adrien blushed and stammered, pointing to the bed, before hanging his head with a grimace.

Marinette walked into the room, but paused when she saw the bed, her face turning an alarming shade of red.

'Oh,' she said, quietly.

Adrien shook his head in disbelief. After reading all of those fanfictions, it had finally happened. He was caught in one of his least favourite tropes - stuck in a hotel room with a pretty girl and only one bed.

'Get yourselves settled quickly, students,' called a voice from the hallway. 'We only have a few hours of daylight left.'

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a glance before they scrambled to their bags and rummaged around for their school supplies. Stuffing a notebook and pen in his schoolbag and throwing it over his shoulder, Adrien waited for Marinette, holding the door open while she scurried past with an awkward smile of thanks. He slipped out after her, letting the door swing shut, as he caught up with Nino in front of the elevators.

'Are you ok, Man?' Nino asked, placing a steadying hand on Adrien's shoulder.

Adrien was bent double, hands on his knees, as he exhaled gustily. 'Yeah, I'm fine,' he grinned up at Nino.

Nino raised a sceptical eyebrow.

'I'll tell you later,' Adrien sighed as he straightened up.

Half of the class filed into the elevator on the left, including Marinette and Alya. Marinette was whispering feverishly into Alya's ear the whole time, her own ears a bright pink.

The remainder of the class entered the right elevator when it dinged open. Adrien waited quietly as they descended to the lobby, arms folded and foot tapping. Nino watched, his eyebrow still raised, as though he were faintly amused. He was only distracted when his phone buzzed with a text. Nino snorted at the message, trying to cover his grin with a hand, before he replied and put his phone back in his pocket.

Adrien was too preoccupied to ask what was funny.

In the lobby, the first group was waiting by the main entrance. Adrien could see Alya gripping Marinette's hands and bouncing in place, a large grin splitting her face. Adrien was glad she found the situation so amusing.

Caline Bustier led them outside and explained their assignment. They were to break into pairs and write a brief report on as many historical sites they could find. Many students groaned, but Adrien grinned. While he thought history was as dry as an old stick, it was nice to be outdoors with his buddy. He and Nino fist bumped and walked in the opposite direction to Marinette and Alya after Madame Bustier had released them.

'All right, tell me what's going on,' prompted Nino.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, keeping his eyes on the ground. 'My life has turned into a fanfic trope,' he said, morosely.

'Say what?'

'My life has turned into some cheesy, overdone, trite story written by someone who has no original ideas.'

'I'm still not getting you. What's happened?'

Adrien winced. 'I'm sharing a room with Marinette,' he admitted in a rush.

Nino gaped at him, pausing in the street as his eyes bulged. 'How did that happen?' he yelped.

'I'm not sure, but I think the hotel messed up. Marinette asked at reception, but they denied responsibility. When she talked to Madame Bustier, she said to "make it work." So, I guess I'm sharing a room with Marinette for the weekend,' he shrugged, helplessly.

Nino was shaking his head, his eyes still wide. 'You absolutely cannot let anyone else know this is happening.'

Adrien tilted his head. 'Why not?'

'A few reasons, actually. If word got back to Chloe, she would make Marinette's life miserable. You know how jealous and obsessed with you she is.'

'Chloe's just overprotective,' Adrien defended, but he couldn't deny that Chloe would be vicious with Marinette if she knew.

'Secondly,' continued Nino, 'what if your dad heard about it?'

Adrien blanched, refusing to think about those repercussions.

'Thirdly,' Nino went on, 'think about your reputations.'

'This isn't the eighteen hundreds, Nino,' Adrien chuckled.

'Doesn't matter. If word got out, people could think you took advantage of her. Two teens, alone in a hotel room, and people are bound to assume the worst, and not just of you. Many more people will accuse Mar of being a woman of loose morals, that she used you for selfish reasons.'

Adrien frowned. Marinette wasn't a gold-digger, nor was she a whore, but people would make those judgements. It was a grievous imbalance, that a woman was more likely to be accused of such things than a man, but that was the way the world was, alas.

Adrien nodded. 'You're right, I won't say anything. But, how am I supposed to not give anything away? People are bound to notice us going into the same room.'

'You can go into your room after everyone else is in theirs. It won't look too sus if you're seen chatting with me until they're all inside. Leaving your room in the morning, I'll knock on your door when everyone else is at the elevators, and we'll just tell them you overslept or something. Sound good?'

Adrien raised his fist. 'Sounds like a plan,' he confirmed as Nino bumped fists.

By the end of the day, he and Nino visited thirteen places of interest, beaten only by Max and Kim who saw fifteen. Their secret to a successful afternoon was attributed to Max's encyclopaedic knowledge of the city's locations, and Kim's speed and strength as he carried Max piggyback, running from one site to another to find as many places as possible.

They had dinner in the hotel's moderately fancy restaurant, with linen napkins and tasteful décor. Adrien sat with the other boys, hailing Max as the human GPS and calling Kim a bipedal beast of burden. They jostled and laughed with each other until they were dismissed for the night.

At the elevators, Adrien hung back until Ivan pushed him forward. He grinned nervously, contributing little to the conversation as they ascended. On their floor, the other boys drifted to their rooms, Max and Kim four doors down on the left, Ivan and Nathaniel six doors down on the right.

Adrien lifted an eyebrow at Nino. 'Who are you bunking with?' he asked.

Nino grinned, devilishly. 'I got a single,' he replied, smugly.

Adrien's jaw dropped. 'How did that happen?' he exclaimed.

'Dunno,' Nino shrugged.

'Can you swap with Marinette, please?' Adrien begged.

'No way.'

'Why not?' Adrien tried not to sound hurt.

Nino cleared his throat and raised his index finger. 'Because everyone saw me enter my room. It would be weird if they saw Mar come out of there in the morning. How would we explain it? Also, your room only has one bed and you're a hugger.'

Adrien hung his head. 'I told you, I can't help that. There's nothing weird about it,' he mumbled, defensively.

Nino nodded. 'Normally, I'd agree. But it's summer and you're like a giant hot water bottle. I may as well cuddle with my cat.'

Adrien tried not to squirm.

'Well, it looks like everyone's turned in for the night,' observed Nino, though laughter and chatter could be heard from each room. 'I'll see you in the morning, Bro,' Nino called, cheerfully, as he sauntered to his room.

Adrien frowned after him, trying, and failing, not to think unfavourably of him.

Reluctantly, he approached his room. Swiping his key, he nudged the door open while holding his bag under his arm. Marinette was in the shower. Adrien didn't know whether he should be relieved or not, but he sat in the armchair closest to the window to wait. When Marinette emerged, she was in her pyjamas and her hair was down. She paused when she saw him, fiddling with the ends of her hair as her eyes wandered everywhere but to him.

Adrien stood. 'You can have the bed. I'll sleep in the chair,' he said, indicating where he'd just been sitting.

Marinette's eyes snapped back to him. 'I couldn't let you do that,' she said. 'You'll get a crick in your neck. You won't be able to sleep and tomorrow you'll be tired and sore. Unable to focus, you'll get hit by a car when you cross the road, end up in hospital and die,' she wailed.

Adrien blinked, stunned by the torrent of words. He raised his hands in a calming gesture. 'It'll be ok. I'll be ok. It's only for a few nights.'

Marinette's eyebrows drew down and her jaw set. 'No, I should sleep in the chair,' she argued. She moved to stand at the corner of the foot of the bed closest to him. 'You have a career to think of.'

Adrien shook his head, caught between amusement and exasperation. 'Modelling isn't my career, it's just something I do for my Dad.'

Marinette blinked up at him. 'It isn't?'

Adrien shook his head again. 'No. I don't have to worry about a shoot and we're only here for a few days. Go ahead and take the bed.'

Marinette frowned at him. 'It would be rude to sleep in the bed while you're stuck in a chair. You take the bed.'

Adrien frowned back at her. 'It would be churlish of me to take the bed while a lady is forced to sleep in a chair. So, you can have the bed. I insist.'

Marinette put her hands on her hips. 'No, I insist.'

Adrien was flummoxed. He had no idea Marinette could be so stubborn. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to think of a compromise.

'Since neither of us wants the other to take the chair, how about we both take the bed? It's big enough to comfortably fit us both,' he suggested, trying to suppress a blush.

Marinette squeaked and turned red again, her arms curling protectively against her chest.

Adrien took a step back and raised his hands, eyes wide. 'I didn't mean that in a weird way,' he promised. 'I just thought, since we couldn't agree, then we should compromise. Look, you can keep your phone beside you on the bedside table, if that'll make you feel safer. We'll even build a pillow wall between us, if you want.'

Marinette continued to stare at him, her eyes large and vulnerable.

Adrien looked away and scratched the back of his head. 'Or, I could just stay in the chair.'

'No, it's ok.' Marinette mumbled as she stared at her feet. 'Which side of the bed do you prefer?' she asked, backing up to the other corner of the mattress to give him room.

Adrien stood where Marinette had just been, then sat on the edge of the bed. Marinette gave a timid smile before sitting on the other side. She looked ready to bolt the moment he made a suspicious move. Adrien bounced where he sat, unsure what he was trying to prove, but determined to find a comfortable spot.

Adrien flopped against the pillows and sat up again, trying to get a feel for the bed. He lay on his side, then rolled back and forth, bouncing and jostling about, growing increasingly frustrated.

'Is something wrong?' asked Marinette, in concern.

Adrien sat up and stared at her, where she still sat at the edge of the bed. 'Switch sides with me.'

Marinette nodded once, bewildered, before rising and walking to the other corner where she gingerly sat down.

Adrien scooted across the mattress until he sat on the other side. He flopped and bounced for only a moment  before collapsing against the pillows, finally feeling comfortable.

'Better?' Marinette asked, an amused grin pulling up a corner of her lips.

'Much,' Adrien replied with a sigh.

Marinette giggled and settled primly against the rumpled pillows. 'The shower feels really nice, if you want to clean up,' she said.

Realising he was still in his street clothes, Adrien launched himself from the bed and scooped up his suitcase before entering the bathroom.

Plagg floated from his shirt pocket, looking tired and listless. 'Cheese,' he moaned, plaintively.

'Be quiet or Marinette will hear you,' Adrien ordered as he dug through his suitcase. He found Plagg's stash at the bottom and gave him an entire wheel of camembert. Plagg hadn't eaten since this morning and Adrien felt guilty.

He showered, brushed his teeth, and put his pyjamas on while Plagg ate. He then washed Plagg, scrubbing off the cheese residue with soap and hot water, holding a finger over his mouth when he started complaining. Once freed, Plagg shook off the excess water and shot Adrien a dirty look before burying himself in Adrien's clean clothes.

Adrien sighed and zipped his bag shut. 'Goodnight, Plagg,' he murmured.

Plagg hissed.

Rolling his eyes, Adrien went back to the main room to see Marinette stand abruptly from kneeling beside her own suitcase. They stood on opposite sides of the bed, staring at everything but each other, and shuffling nervously.

'How did this even happen?' Adrien mumbled in a resigned tone.

'Everyone else made sure to get matching keys. Only you, me, Alya, and Nino were careless enough to just grab anything,' Marinette explained.

Adrien suppressed a groan. 'Typical.'

Marinette hummed an agreement and tentatively slipped under the covers. She tapped frantically on her phone while Adrien fetched his from his schoolbag. Nino had already sent him a text.

 _So, what are the sleeping arrangements like_  ;)

Adrien gave his phone a flat stare. Trying to look casual, he wriggled under the blankets, too.

 _Marinette and I are being very mature and have agreed to share the bed._ He paused as Marinette began laying spare pillows she had gathered down the centre line of the bed _. She has constructed the Great Wall of Synthetic Down_. Adrien swore he heard Nino's bark of laughter from down the hall.

 _Yeah, that's so mature_ , Nino teased.

 _It was either this, or both of us sleeping on the floor in a show of passive aggressive politeness_.

_Did you have to fight over which side of the bed you'd sleep on?_

_No, we fought over who got the bed and who would be condemning themselves to a weekend of cricked necks and no sleep. Then I suggested we both take the bed, and Marinette offered me first choice of sides. She didn't even complain when I changed my mind_.

 _Well, she wouldn't_ , Nino responded.

 _Yeah, she's polite like that_ , Adrien agreed.

When Nino didn't respond, Adrien sent him a last goodnight text and turned off his phone. Turning toward Marinette he saw that she, too, was done texting. She placed her phone on her nightstand and faced him over the pillow barricade.

'You ready for lights-out?' asked Adrien.

'Yeah,' she answered, switching off her bedside lamp and wriggling down into the blankets.

'Ok. Goodnight, Marinette,' Adrien said, turning off his own light.

'Goodnight, Adrien.'

Sleep was a long time coming and Adrien suspected he wasn't the only one having trouble. Marinette lay unnaturally still and barely breathed. Adrien rolled over and faced the wall, closing his eyes.

 

* * *

 

He awoke Saturday morning to  hair tickling his cheek. Baffled, he looked down to see Marinette cuddled against his right side, with one had curled against his chest, the other wound around his shoulder. Their pillow wall lay scattered on the floor and foot of the bed, kicked aside while they slept.

Adrien was laying on his back with his right arm slung over Marinette's shoulders and his left hand on her waist. He stopped breathing when he realised he was touching bare skin. He gulped and slowly withdrew his arms, and lifted hers from his chest. Marinette stirred, but didn't wake. He wriggled out from under her by slow increments and fled to the bathroom once he was free. Realising he'd forgotten his bag, Adrien peeked around the door and darted out to retrieve his suitcase. He pulled out fresh clothes, fed Plagg, and went through his morning ablutions.

When he came back, Marinette was sprawled across the bed, her face buried deep in the pillows, with her phone alarm blaring. She didn't even stir, not a twitch.

Concerned, Adrien nudged her shoulder and softly called her name. She mumbled indecipherably, but didn't wake. He tried to gently wake her for ten minutes, worried she would get in trouble for being late. Finally, Adrien huffed, irritated at being ignored. He drew in a deep breath, leaned in close and shouted her name in her ear.

The result was gratifyingly instantaneous. Marinette bolted upright, pushing herself up and looking around with wide eyes, her hands fluttering about uselessly as she tried to identify the source of the noise. Her gaze settled on Adrien as he smiled vindictively down at her. Marinette's shock morphed into outrage.

Shrieking obscenities, she hurled pillows at him which he avoided easily, only increasing her ire. He grinned mischievously at her when she ran out of pillows, but his smile dropped when she leaned over the side of the bed to throw a shoe at his head.

Grumbling under her breath, Marinette headed to the bathroom, dragging her suitcase behind her. When she eventually returned, she retrieved her shoe and shot him a filthy look before leaving to meet Alya in the hallway. Adrien gathered his things and waited for Nino's signal. Five minutes later, he and Nino had caught up with their classmates and headed to the local theatre to watch a production of Carmen.

Many students had complained about this "Cultural Enlightenment" campaign, but Adrien thought their weekend away was fun. He got out of the house and was able to spend the entire weekend with his friends, all under the pretence of education.

After lunch they went to another theatre to watch The Phantom of the Opera, then they made their way back to the hotel, Mylene and Sabrina singing tunes from both shows along the way. They had dinner and were then dismissed to their rooms to write an essay, by hand, detailing the differences between the plays, emphasising their countries of origin and how they benefited today's audiences. Nino offered to let Adrien study with him in his room, while Alya went to study with Marinette.

'Why doesn't Marinette join Alya in her room?' Adrien asked out of curiosity.

Nino coughed delicately. 'Because Alya shares a room with Lila, and you know they hate each other.'

Adrien raised his eyebrows. 'Why doesn't one of them switch?'

'Lila asked this morning. Madame Bustier said that room assignments were final, besides which, there are no more rooms left. No one wants to switch, either.'

Adrien nodded in understanding, suddenly thankful for having Marinette as a room mate. Lila was nice enough, but she was too physical for Adrien's comfort. He knew she fancied him, but that wasn't a good reason to invade his personal space and hang off him like a limpet. It was particularly discomforting when she held him against her breast.

Shaking the thoughts away, Adrien turned back to his homework, Nino bemoaning his hand cramp after four paragraphs.

Back in his room, he and Marinette went about their nightly routines in uncomfortable silence. Marinette rebuilt the pillow wall, reinforcing it with spare blankets from the closet, rolled lengthwise down the bed in strips.

'I'm sorry if I pushed you out of bed this morning,' Marinette said as she stood at her side of the bed.

Adrien ruthlessly squashed the urge to tease her. She was finally treating him like a real person, and he didn't want her to regress into just another fan.

'You didn't,' he told her with a reassuring smile. 'You didn't spread out until after I got up and chucked the pillows away.'

Marinette sagged with relief. 'That's good,' she said, crawling into bed and flopping on the pillows.

Adrien gave his suitcase a subtle kick when he heard a snide chuckle from within, climbing into bed as though nothing were amiss. 'If you're ready?' he asked, his hand hovering over the lamp switch.

Marinette's lamp was already off. 'I'm ready,' she confirmed.

Adrien flipped off the light. Sleep came easier tonight, his eyes sliding shut of their own volition as sleep overcame him.

 

* * *

 

Sunday morning, he was startled awake when his bed shrieked. His eyes flew open to see he was curled around Marinette as she slept in a little ball. Her head was resting against his shoulder while his right arm looped around her head. His left arm rested limply over her waist.

He jolted away from her, babbling apologies while she did the same. They sat there, awkwardly avoiding eye contact, then they both stammered a barely coherent excuse before Marinette hurried into the bathroom and Adrien dashed to his bag and got dressed, foregoing his morning shower.

When Marinette left the bathroom, Adrien ducked in to brush his teeth. Once finished with that, he gathered his school bag and scurried out the door and waited for Nino outside his room, the first one ready to leave.

Nino looked at him quizzically when he saw Adrien in the hallway, but refrained from asking any questions until they were on their way to a local art gallery. Only Nathaniel was excited about today's adventure.

Allowing the others to pull ahead, Nino asked, 'what happened this time?'

Adrien whined like a sick puppy. 'I spooned Marinette.'

Nino was silent for only a moment before he roared with laughter. Those at the back of their group turned to look, but quickly lost interest.

Adrien hung his head, blushing mightily, and wallowing in self pity. He declined to comment.

Nino wasn't able to collect himself until after they arrived at the gallery, where a tour guide met them. She led them from room to room, explaining briefly about each piece and finished by showing them a PowerPoint presentation on gathering and maintaining a collection and how their storage system and cycling of pieces worked. She either didn't notice, or chose to ignore, Nino's ongoing giggles.

They ate lunch in a nearby park, splitting into pairs or small groups. Adrien and Nino sat with the other boys after buying crepes or burritos from the vendors around the grounds.

'Dude, what is so funny?' Kim demanded. 'You've been giggling like an eight year old girl all morning. It's weird.'

Nino snorted beans all over his lap. The others leaned back, various degrees of disgust crossing their features.

'Spoon,' Nino chortled, before collapsing in a helpless pile of snickers.

Kim, Max, Ivan, and Nathaniel exchanged bemused looks before turning to Adrien for an explanation.

'Don't look at me,' Adrien said, affecting a look of ignorance.

Nino's laughter doubled in volume. His forgotten burrito squeezed so tight the filling spewed onto the grass.

They spent the afternoon in a museum, led around by another guide who showed them the proper care procedures of each type of item, the restorations techniques they used, and how they acquired each artefact. After the tour, they had to write about the differences between art galleries and museums, and what their favourite pieces were.

Since the museum was still fresh in his mind, Adrien wrote about a statue on loan from Greece. He suspected most of his classmates also chose something from the museum for the same reason he did. Adrien remained with the other boys until after dinner, enjoying their last night together. When Madame Bustier called them to bed, Adrien went with great reluctance.

He entered his room cautiously, to hear Marinette was already in the shower. He took the opportunity to feed Plagg and rearrange his suitcase so he wouldn't forget anything. When Marinette came out, tired and steamy, Adrien went in and scrubbed the day's dirt away.

Marinette was already in bed and typing on her phone when he emerged, the pillow fort conspicuously absent.

'No Great Dividing Range tonight?' he asked.

One side of her lips lifted in a tiny smirk. 'Since it didn't seem to be doing any good, I didn't see the point. I hope you don't mind.'

Adrien huffed a laugh. 'No, I get it. It was pretty ineffective.'

Marinette smiled in response and placed her phone on the bedside table. She then reached around and turned off her lamp. 'G'night, Adrien.'

Adrien shimmied under the tightly tucked in blankets and switched off his light. 'Night, Marinette.'

 

* * *

 

In the morning, Adrien woke to find Marinette cuddling him tightly around his middle, with her head tucked under his chin. He was holding her around the shoulders with his legs tangled in hers. He blushed furiously, trying to ignore the feel of her softer parts pressing against him, and wondered how he was going to get out of this without waking her.

After a few unsuccessful attempts at escape, he decided subtlety was not the way to proceed. Bracing himself, Adrien sat up straight and waited for the ensuing squeals of embarrassment. When he only received silence, Adrien glanced down to see Marinette sleepily rubbing her eyes.

'What time is it?' she mumbled.

Adrien released the breath he'd been holding. 'It's seven-thirty. Time to get up and head home.'

'Oh, ok. Did you hear that, Tikki? We have to go home, now.'

A tiny red form with a disproportionately large head heaved itself blearily over Marinette's shoulder, blinking itself awake. 'Already?' it asked.

Marinette hummed an affirmative, her eyes sliding shut once more. Only to be jolted awake again at Adrien's resulting screech which woke up everyone on their floor.


	2. No Honour Among Bros

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weekend that was, Nino style.

Nino made sure to grab the Single room key from Caline Bustier's outstretched hand. Because they had an uneven number of students in their class, Madame Bustier had told them that one of them would have to room alone, and to sort it out amongst themselves who that would be.

Nino felt bad for ditching Adrien, but Alya would skin him alive if her plan fell apart because of him. On the other hand, Alya would praise him and reward him with kisses now that he had successfully claimed the Single room. He now also had his own room for the entire weekend.

On the way there, Alya had wanted him to talk with the other boys to make sure they were on board and agreeable to rooming with each other, but Nino thought that was unnecessary, as long as he got the single. Kim and Max were bound to share a room, so they were no issue. Ivan and Nathaniel, while not close friends, got along well enough to be able to endure each other's company easily for the few days they were here. Nino felt no remorse at forcing them into the same room.

Nino looked around his tiny room, pleased with himself. Off the entryway on the left was a small bathroom, complete with towels, soaps, and shampoo. To his right was a shelf with an electric kettle, with complementary tea, coffee, and biscuits. Beside these was a wall mounted TV  and a storage closet.

By the left wall, abutting the bathroom wall, was a single bed with a bedside table on each side, and a lamp overhanging the head of the bed. The far wall had the windows, covered by the most unfortunate set of blackout curtains he had ever seen.

Scrunching his nose, Nino ducked into the bathroom and swiped all of the soaps and shampoos, storing them in his suitcase, hefted onto the end of his bed and waiting to be unpacked.

Guilt twinged at his conscience, again. Peering into the hallway beyond his door, he saw Adrien staring helplessly after Marinette as she fled  to the elevators. He was about to call out when a resolute expression crossed Adrien's face and he grabbed two suitcases, clumsily dragging them into his room.

Nino grinned. Adrien would be fine. Nino slipped back into his room and quietly closed the door. He passed the next few minutes texting Alya, confirming he had the single room.

 _Yes, Babe, it's exactly as you wanted it, you schemer_ , he told her.

 _It's not scheming,_ she retorted _. I'm being the best wing woman ever_ , she defended herself.

 _Sure, Babe_. Nino rolled his eyes.  _What was the point of all this again?_

_To get Mari and Adrien together! You know they're in love._

_Don't you think they should work it out for themselves?_ Nino felt obliged to ask.

_If we let them do that, they'll never work it out._

Nino could hear the long-suffering sigh in her voice.  _All right, but if this goes sideways, I'm blaming you_ , he said.

_Yeah, whatever._

_So, who did you end up rooming with?_ he asked.

When he got no response, Nino raised an eyebrow, but didn't press her. Just then, a voice called from the hallway.

'Get yourselves settled quickly, students. We only have a few hours of daylight left.'

Nino levered himself up and hoisted his schoolbag over his shoulder. He followed the stream of chattering classmates to the elevators where Marinette was whispering in Alya's ear, frazzled and gesturing wildly.

Suddenly, Nino felt a presence behind him. Turning, he saw Adrien bent over with his hands on his knees, his face pink.

'Are you ok, Man?' he asked.

'Yeah, I'm fine,' Adrien replied with a gusty exhalation.

Nino raised an eyebrow, appraising Adrien's condition. If he was this flustered after only a few minutes, there was no way he could survive the weekend.

'I'll tell you later,' Adrien mumbled as he stood up straight.

Alya and Marinette took the first elevator down. The elevators were small, so the class had to go down in two groups. Nino and Adrien caught the second one, waiting silently as the others gossiped around them. Nino watched Adrien surreptitiously as Adrien's blush slowly subsided, digging his phone out of his pocket when it buzzed.

 _Mari is having an apoplectic fit!_  Alya sent.  _She's whisper-screaming about how the fates can be so cruel and so kind at the same time. If she dies tonight, Adrien's paying for her funeral_.

Nino covered a less than delicate snort of laughter.

 _Adrien's having a meltdown over here_ , Nino replied. _His face is red and he hasn't said anything, but he's probably trying to think of a way he can get out of this like a gentleman._

Once they were walking away from the others for their first assignment, Nino got Adrien to speak. He was relieved to see that Adrien didn't suspect him of manoeuvring him into this situation, but he made  sure Adrien understood the possible repercussions should this all go south.

They devised a workable plan to make sure none of their classmates were any the wiser before getting to the task of their first away-from-home project.

Walking all over town, trying to find places of significance was exhausting. By the time they made it back to the hotel, Nino's feet hurt and he was sure they were covered in blisters. He was glad to sit down to dinner and tease Kim for hauling Max on piggyback all over the place, like an overgrown marsupial.

'Who are you bunking with?' asked Adrien as they stepped out of the elevator, on their way to bed.

Nino forced a grin, hoping he wasn't about to hurt Adrien's feelings too badly. 'I got a single,' he replied, putting as much satisfaction into his voice as he could.

Adrien stared in stunned disbelief. 'How did that happen?' he demanded.

'Dunno,' Nino lied with a shrug.

Adrien clasped his hands under his chin. 'Can you swap with Marinette, please?'

'No way,' Nino told him, trying to sound firm.

Adrien looked crestfallen and Nino's determination wavered.

'Why not?' asked Adrien, looking lost.

Nino cleared his throat, buying himself a moment to suppress his guilt and come up with a plausible reason.  'Because everyone saw me enter my room. It would be weird if they saw Mar come out of there in the morning. How would we explain it? Also, your room only has one bed and you're a hugger.'

Nino made a mental note to ask Alya how she had managed to get them into a room with only one bed.

Adrien's gaze dropped. 'I told you, I can't help that. There's nothing weird about it,' he mumbled.

Nino's gut wrenched once more.  _I'm a terrible friend_ , he thought.

'Normally, I'd agree,' Nino replied, trying to salvage what he could of their friendship. 'But it's summer and you're like a giant hot water bottle. I may as well cuddle with my cat.'

Nino saw Adrien cringe, but refrained from commenting. 'Well, it looks like everyone's turned in for the night,' observed Nino, a bit too loudly. 'I'll see you in the morning, Bro.' He hoped Adrien didn't notice the awkwardly obvious change of topic.

Nino retreated hastily to his room, leaving Adrien standing forlornly in the hallway. Once inside, Nino pulled out his phone and texted Alya.

 _I feel like a monster_ , he confessed

 _I feel like murdering a bitch_ , Alya responded.

Nino raised a brow at the uncharacteristically violent text.  _Is everything ok?_

_No, everything's lousy._

_What happened?_  Nino settled against his pillows and flicked on the TV for background noise.

 _I have that no-good liar for a roommate_.

Nino's eyebrows shot up into his hairline.  _You're rooming with Lila? How did that happen?_

He could practically hear Alya growl.

_I was too busy making sure all the other girls roomed together to check to see what that left me with. A grievous oversight on my part. I can't believe I missed something so obvious._

_You do tend to get tunnel vision when you've got a scheme going on._

_Shut up, sweetie._

_What's going on with your plan, now?_  Nino asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

_Lol. Mari's freaking out. I can't get a coherent sentence out of her._

Nino grinned. He thought he should have felt sorry for Marinette, but this had been a long time coming. He would never admit it to Alya, but Marinette and Adrien did need all the help they could get.

When Alya fell silent, he shot off a text to Adrien, hoping for a more specific answer as to how Marinette was reacting. He rolled his eyes at Adrien's attempt to sound detached and mature; he knew this was Adrien's first time spending time alone with a girl, let alone one he liked, even if he wasn't aware of that yet.

He laughed aloud at Marinette's pillow wall, knowing it would do nothing to stop them from drawing together during the night, like a pair of magnets. But when Adrien agreed that Marinette was too polite to criticize him for switching sides on the bed, Nino brought his hand to his forehead with a resounding slap.

Deciding that Adrien's obliviousness was too much to deal with so late at night, Nino turned off his light and went to sleep.

 

* * *

 

Adrien was inexplicably smug on Saturday morning when Nino fetched him from his room. When Nino asked what happened, Adrien would shake his head and laugh, the most he said was that Marinette "wasn't a morning person."

Nino rolled his eyes at Adrien's attempts to be vague and mysterious, letting him have his private joke. Nino's patience was rewarded when Adrien confessed everything over lunch, unable to keep it to himself any longer. Nino shook his head at Adrien's childishness, but his own smile belied the action. It was cute, thinking of them curled up together, Adrien carefully extracting himself so she wouldn't be disturbed. The way he'd woken her up was just plain funny.

As the day wound down, they had to hand write essays on their cultural experiences of the day. Nino took pity on Adrien, as he looked increasingly apprehensive about going back to his room. Adrien accepted Nino's offer to study in his room so fast, Nino wondered if something had happened while he wasn't looking. He eventually surmised that Adrien wasn't looking forward to the awkwardness left over from this morning, or another intimate morning encounter.

Finally, Adrien left for his own room, shaking the cramps out of his hands as he went.

 _How's everything going with your girl?_  he texted Alya.

 _The same as usual_ , Alya replied.  _A little embarrassed that she probably pushed Adrien out of bed this morning, maybe._

Nino tried to suppress a laugh, but ended up blowing a raspberry between his lips.  _Is that what she told you? Either she's a consummate liar, or Adrien is too kind for his own good._

 _What do you mean?_ Alya asked.

Nino told her everything Adrien had told him.

 _That little fink!_ Alya exclaimed.  _She lied to me. I can't believe her._

 _What did she tell you?_  Nino was curious, now.

_That she woke up, spread eagled across the bed, pillows everywhere. That Adrien got up early and that he'd woken her up. That's it._

Nino could imagine Alya riled up and huffing at her phone.  _I think I see what happened here_ , he said. _Adrien woke up, wrapped around Mar, and then moved away without waking her. After he woke her up, he told her he removed the pillows, and then she rolled all over the place, to spare her feelings. Does that make sense?_

 _That... makes a lot of sense, actually_ , she conceded.  _Adrien's quite an accomplished liar, isn't he, getting Mari to believe she slept alone?_

Nino chuckled. _Of course he's a good liar. He does have that "Secret Identity" to protect._

Alya sent a LOL in reply, then they wished each other goodnight.

 

* * *

 

Nino was awakened Sunday morning by a distant, but piercing, shriek. He quickly dismissed it after he recognised Marinette's voice, knowing he would get the story out of Adrien later. Deciding the sound was as good as an alarm clock, Nino rose and got ready for the day.

He got his explanation when Adrien sheepishly confessed to spooning Marinette, as if it were the worst of social taboos. Nino cackled loud and long at Adrien's expense, much to his chagrin.

He laughed all through the tour of the art gallery, chortled as they ate lunch, and giggled incessantly inside the museum. Adrien's scowls of disapproval through the day only served to make Nino's guffaws worse. Adrien looked like a bad Gabriel Agreste impersonator.

Nino forced himself to calm down during dinner, since this was their last night together and he wanted Adrien to enjoy his last night of freedom and companionship.

Finally, they headed to bed, sneaking a reluctant Adrien into his room when the others were all tucked away.

In the privacy of his own room, Nino texted Alya again. _I gotta ask_ , he began,  _how did you manage to get them only one bed?_

Alya merely sent back a winky face.

Nino harrumphed. _Fine, have your secrets._

 _I intend to_ , she replied.

 _How was Mar today?_  Nino asked, changing the subject.

_A mess! That squeal this morning was her waking up first, wrapped in Adrien's arms. I can't believe how well this has gone._

_Keep talking like that and you'll jinx it,_  Nino warned.

Alya dismissed his concerns, then wished him a goodnight. He returned the sentiment and snuggled down to sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

The following morning, their entire floor was woken up by an embarrassingly high-pitched male scream.

Nino was the first out of his room, and was the only one who saw Adrien stagger out of his room, still in his pyjamas, his face white.

'Dude, what's wrong?' Nino asked, as he came up beside Adrien.

Adrien could only stare at him, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide.

'It's ok, Buddy. I got you,' Nino told him, soothingly, leading him across to his own room.

He made Adrien a cup of tea and wrapped him in a spare blanket from the closet. Adrien's hands shook too badly to hold the cup, so Nino took it from him before it could spill.

He took a step back and appraised Adrien, critically. He was in shock and Nino needed help to deal with this development.

Before he could text Alya, Madame Bustier called from the hallway. 'Time to rise and shine, students. We need to be out the door in thirty minutes.'

There was a collective, indignant shriek from the other rooms followed by thumps and yells as the others collected their things and made ready to depart.

Nino threw his belongings together, got dressed, and hustled Adrien back into his room once Marinette had left. Adrien got himself dressed while Nino haphazardly packed his suitcase for him, then frogmarched him to the elevators, across the lobby, and into a waiting bus. Their classmates didn't even question their odd behaviour, too sleepy and unobservant to notice anything amiss.

Nino pushed Adrien right to the back of the bus, well away from the others, and wedged him into a seat by the window, casually waving off Madame Bustier's concerned look.

'He's just not a morning person,' he chuckled, weakly.

Alya dragged a partially comatose Marinette into the bus, heading toward Nino when he waved her over. She pushed Marinette into the opposite window seat, where she slumped against the glass and began to snore.

Alya and Nino conferred in whispers, careful to avoid disturbing their friends.

'What happened, what do we do?' Alya asked, desperately.

Nino shrugged, helplessly. 'I don't know. He hasn't spoken at all,' he replied, indicating Adrien.

'Sit down and buckle up, children,' Madame Bustier said. 'It's time to go home.'

Nino sat with Alya in the seat in front of Adrien, looking at each other and wondering what had happened, and if they should prepare for a disaster.


	3. How She Did It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally get an explanation. Yay!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay. For some reason, energy & motivation have been hard to come by.  
> If you spot any inconsistencies, let me know, and I'll try to fix it. I just realised today that I have completely neglected to give these poor kids breakfast. Just pretend they picked something up along the way. Ugh, that's terrible writing. I'm so sorry.  
> Anyway, please enjoy!

Alya had spent the first hour of the bus ride out talking to the other girls and letting them in on her plan, making sure they were agreeable to sharing rooms. Naturally, Juleka and Rose would share a room, as would Chloe and Sabrina. Alix and Mylene were also happy to share. It wasn't until after Caline Bustier had distributed their key cards, subtly tilting her hand to make sure the right people got the right keys, that Alya realised her mistake.

She was standing just beyond the entrance nook in her twin-share, staring across the beds at Lila, who stared back with a look of disdain.

 _I should've roomed with Alix_ , Alya thought. Aside from Rose, Mylene was the only person who could put up with Lila's surly attitude.

After a tense moment, they both turned away. Lila claimed the bed furthest from the door, while Alya rummaged through her bags, collecting her school gear. She checked her phone, but all she had was a single worded text from Caline.

 _Success_.

Alya smothered a smile. It had surprised her when Caline first approached her with the idea of a perfect set up. A class excursion, under the pretext of "Cultural Enlightenment," to help get Marinette and Adrien together. Furthermore, it was through Caline's machinations that Adrien and Marinette were sharing a room with only one bed.

When Caline had made the bookings for the hotel, she had reserved six twin-share accommodations, two singles, and one double. She had even billed it to the school. All she had to do then was make sure certain students picked certain key cards, and the plan was underway. It was a level of underhandedness that Alya aspired to, a thing of beauty. Alya had thought of herself as the top tier shipper, but Caline outstripped her by a huge margin, earning the title of God tier shipper.

Alya spent the remaining time texting with Nino, getting updates on the status of her plan.

Caline called the students for their first activity, Alya strolling from her room with a smug smirk as she waited for the fireworks to begin.

She didn't have to wait long.

Marinette sprinted down the hall and skidded to a stop before she could plough into Alya. Her face was red, from the roots of her hair, right down to her collarbones. She grabbed Alya by the shoulders.

'You will not believe what is happening right now,' she whisper screamed.

Alya feigned a look of ignorance. 'What's going on?'

After a moment of false starts and incoherent babbling, Marinette finally said, 'I'm sharing a room with Adrien.'

'What? No way,' Alya exclaimed.

As Marinette launched into a panicked account of what happened, Alya suppressed a smirk and gave herself a mental high five. She guided Marinette into the first elevator when she hadn't noticed its arrival, so she could catch her breath. She hadn't noticed Adrien's arrival, but it wouldn't do to over-expose them to each other this soon.

She sent Nino a text, then turned back to Marinette, pumping her fists and blathering encouragements.

'You can do this. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, Girl. You got this.'

Marinette didn't calm down.

When Adrien caught up with the group in the lobby, Alya couldn't help but look at him and see how he was faring. He looked strained, and his shoulders were tense. Her smile may have creeped him out, only adding to his stress, but she couldn't help herself. Her ship was finally going to sail.

Caline led their group outside and explained their first assignment, sending them on their way with a cheery wave. Alya led Marinette away in the opposite direction to Nino and Adrien, patting her on the back when she wilted like a hothouse flower.

'Alya, I'm going to die,' Marinette moaned, quietly, as she grabbed Alya's shirt.

'You'll be fine,' Alya replied, prising Marinette's fingers from her blouse.

'You don't understand. There's only one bed,' Marinette exclaimed, as she threw her head back.

'So, make the most of it,' Alya advised with a sly wink.

Marinette blushed. 'What kind of advice is that? I need help. Help me, Alya.'

'I am helping.'

'No, you're not.'

'Sure, I am.'

Marinette pouted. 'Your idea of helping leaves a lot to be desired.'

Alya wrapped an arm around Marinette's shoulders. 'Just pretend he's Chat Noir.'

'What?' Marinette shrieked. She shrank into herself when people turned to stare.

'You're fine when you deal with him, right?' Alya responded. 'Just pretend he's in a mask and skin-tight body suit, and you'll be fine.'

Marinette's face remained a deep crimson as she stared at the ground.

Alya snickered. 'Ok, don't then. Whatever you do, don't think of Adrien in that tight, black cat suit. Absolutely don't think of him kissing your hand and flirting up a storm, because that's all Chat Noir. That's not Adrien at all. Nope.'

Alya's teasing only became more lurid the more Marinette stammered and blushed. Alya could almost see the steam coming from her ears, and laughed wickedly at Marinette's expense.

After that, their project was a complete failure. They only managed to find three historic sites, and their notes were scattered and incomplete. Marinette worried her grades would suffer, but Alya wasn't concerned. The real project had been a success, so far.

Over dinner, Alya sat with Alix, Mylene, Rose, and Juleka. Marinette was with them, but didn't contribute much to the conversation, preoccupied as she was, glancing at Adrien and blushing every time he smiled. Alya smiled indulgently, giving the other girls a subtle wink. They smothered their grins and returned to their meals, before heading up to their rooms before the boys.

In the corridor, Marinette pulled Alya aside.

'I can't do this,' she whispered, eyes darting between Alya and her room door.

'Yes, you can, Girl,' Alya replied, as she placed her hands on Marinette's shoulders. 'This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Go,' Alya spun Marinette around and pushed her toward her room. Reluctantly, Marinette entered, shooting Alya one last panicked look before Alya pulled the door shut on her.

Feeling immensely pleased with herself, Alya left for her own room. Lila was already in bed, playing games on her phone. Her eyes flittered toward Alya as she entered, but went instantly back to her phone.

 _So, that's how it's gonna be. Fine_ , Alya thought.

She gathered her toiletries and went into the bathroom. There was water everywhere, all the towels were wet, and hair clogged the drain. All the complementary soaps and shampoos were missing, too.

'What the heck,' she shrieked. Sticking her head out of the bathroom, Alya glared accusingly at Lila. 'What did you do in here?'

'I had a shower,' Lila sneered. 'Duh.'

'So, you decided the whole room needed a rinse as well?'

'Don't be ridiculous.'

'Why are all the towels wet?'

Lila rolled her eyes. 'Because I used them.'

'All four of them?' Alya demanded in disbelief.

'Yes. One for me, one for my hair, one for the floor, and one to wipe down the mirror.'

Alya gaped at her. 'There's a bath mat for the floor, and a hand towel you could've used for the mirror,' she growled.

Lila shrugged. 'Oops.'

Alya scowled at her before slamming the door shut. After her shower, she dried off as best she could with the unused hand towel, vowing revenge the entire time.

She came out and found Nino and Marinette had texted her. She held both conversations simultaneously, Marinette sending short, desperate messages, and Nino keeping her informed of Adrien's actions and thought processes.

She eventually bade both of them a goodnight and shut off her phone. Lila had already set hers aside and was pretending to be asleep. Alya curled her nose at her, then switched off her lamp and went to sleep.

 

* * *

 

Alya waited for Marinette by the elevators, tapping her foot impatiently. When she arrived, her pigtails were uneven and she was scowling fiercely.

Forgetting her own grievances, Alya asked, 'what happened?'

Marinette looked away, her expression becoming unreadable. 'Nothing,' she mumbled.

The elevator door dinged and opened. They filed inside with Rose, Juleka, Max, Kim, Alix, and Caline. Marinette huddled in the corner, her face dusted light pink. Alya exchanged a brief glance with Caline, then turned to Marinette.

'Come on, Girl. You can talk to me,' she urged, quietly.

Marinette sighed. 'I think I pushed Adrien out of bed this morning,' she muttered in a pained tone.

Alix coughed into her fist and Kim rubbed a hand across his mouth. Caline shot them a stern glare, but Marinette didn't seem to notice.

Alya draped a comforting arm over her shoulders and led her into the lobby when the doors opened. 'It'll be ok,' she told her, soothingly. 'He won't hold it against you.'

'I made a pillow wall and everything,' Marinette moaned, pitifully.

Alya raised an eyebrow, but refrained from commenting. Caline addressed the class then, informing them they were all going to the theatre and lead them away to see a production of Carmen.

'I should've told him I'm a rough sleeper,' Marinette continued.

'At least he knows now,' Alya offered with a small shrug.

Marinette looked at her with wide, doleful eyes. When she looked like she was about to cry, Alya backtracked.

'What I mean is, he'll be better prepared tonight. He's a nice guy, so it's not like he'll hold it against you.'

Marinette sniffled and nodded.

'Did anything else happen?'

Marinette's blush returned and she frowned. 'No, that's pretty much it. He woke me up after I'd sprawled across the bed, but that's it.'

'That's not too bad,' Alya said.

Marinette nodded as they walked into the first theatre of the day. Alya had no interest in plays, and schoolwork was not a priority, so she fiddled with her phone and let her mind wander. They had an uneventful lunch at a popular café before going to another theatre to watch The Phantom of the Opera. Alya thought the show was tired and overdone, but she couldn't help but smile at the unlikely duet of Mylene and Sabrina, singing show tunes together as they walked back to the hotel.

'Hey, can I write my essay in your room?' Alya asked as she scowled at Lila's back.

'Yeah, of course,' Marinette agreed, a little too quickly.

Alya raised her eyebrows, but followed Marinette into her room silently. They settled into the armchairs in front of the TV, turning it on for background noise.

'I don't know if I can do this,' confessed Marinette.

'Shake your hand out, and write whatever crap comes to mind,' Alya suggested.

'I don't mean the essay. What do I do about Adrien?'

'Oh. Well, if you did push him out of bed, then the logical thing to do would be to apologise.'

Marinette looked up at her. 'Could it really be as simple as that?'

'Of course,' replied Alya, as she waved her hand airily. 'He'll forgive you.'

'Yeah, but how do I make sure it doesn't happen again?'

'Well, you could reinforce your pillow wall,' Alya suggested, thoughtfully.

'Yes, that's a great idea,' Marinette cheered. She fetched spare blankets from the closet and heaped them on the end of the bed. She rolled them up lengthways with a smile. 'I'll put these beside the pillow wall as an extra buffer. Great idea, Alya.'

Alya laughed. 'I have my moments. Now, let's finish this essay before it gets too late.'

Marinette happily sat down and continued writing, her tongue sticking out as she concentrated. Alya suppressed a chuckle and turned to her own work, returning to her own room when she was done.

Nino texted her.  _How's everything going with your girl?_

They compared notes after Marinette's lies were exposed, Alya silently fuming. It would be difficult keeping tabs on her and Adrien, and keeping her plan in motion, if Marinette became secretive. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Marinette didn't like looking like a fool any more than any other teenager, and had fallen for Adrien's lie so completely she hadn't even thought to question him.

Alya wished Nino goodnight and scowled at the bathroom door. Lila had been in there since before Alya came back from Marinette's room, and was undoubtedly making another mess. When Lila finally exited the bathroom, accompanied by a billow of steam, Alya reluctantly gathered her toiletries and went to shower.

It was worse than she had feared. All the towels were wet, and hair clogged the drain and stuck to every surface. There were unidentifiable spots and smudges on the mirror, and a frightful smell wafted from the toilet. Alya gagged and backed out, shut the door and left the room altogether. Deciding not to let her pride suffer any more than it already had, she knocked on Rose's and Juleka's door. She cleaned up in their bathroom, after a brief explanation and profuse thanks. She returned to her own room, silently promising to pay Lila back.

 

* * *

 

Alya woke early on Sunday morning, so she hadn't been rudely awakened by Marinette's scream. Alya paused, carefully watching Lila as she snorted and rolled over, still asleep. Grinning, Alya quietly zipped Lila's suitcase shut before preparing for the day. Lila was still snoring after Alya had finished getting ready, so she marched over to the windows and threw the hideous curtains open. Lila groaned in protest as light poured in, glaring at Alya from the shelter of her blankets. Alya merely smiled and walked out to wait for Marinette.

Marinette was barely holding herself together when she joined Alya by the elevators. Her face was so red it was nearly purple, and she was trembling minutely.

'Is everything ok?' Alya asked in alarm as she placed a hand on Marinette's shoulder.

Marinette regarded her with wide, unblinking eyes. 'Am I dead?' she asked, faintly.

Alya looked back at her in surprise. 'No, why would you be?'

Marinette shrugged and looked at the floor, her shoulders twitching spasmodically. Alya shared a confused and worried look with Caline before they all headed off to the art gallery.

Alya's concern increased when Marinette didn't show any interest in the art gallery. She had drifted away from the main group to stand on the fringes, and not paying attention to the guide. Most of their classmates weren't interested in the doings of art galleries, but Marinette appreciated art and was keen to learn about storage and preservation techniques. Alya looped her arm through Marinette's and gently led her through the tour, occasionally exchanging significant looks with Caline.

It wasn't until lunch when Marinette was able to calm down enough to give an explanation. She sat under a tree in a park, nursing a strawberry crepe with Alya seated before her with a half eaten burrito.

'It was an unmitigated disaster,' Marinette whispered, with a horrified expression.

Alya reached out and took Marinette's hand. 'I'm sure it's not that bad. Tell me what happened,' she urged.

Marinette took a deep breath. 'It's almost the exact opposite of yesterday,' she began. 'I was asleep on my side of the bed, facing away from Adrien, in a tight ball.'

'Ok,' Alya nodded.

Marinette's face turned ashen. 'But my head was on his shoulder, and he had curled up around me while we slept. His hand was on my belly,' she exclaimed, her face turning from grey to red with impressive speed.

Alya blinked, taking a moment to give herself time to process this information. 'So, you're saying he was spooning you?'

'Spoon,' Nino cackled from the other side of the park.

Marinette refused to look at her, but her ears were a vivid pink.

Alya released a heavy sigh, and squeezed Marinette's hand. 'It's really not as bad as you think. It's actually, kind of, sweet.'

Marinette looked up at her, hopefully. 'You think so?'

'Yeah,' Alya confirmed, waving a hand. 'It's similar to how Friday night went down, don't you think?'

Marinette cocked her head. 'I don't see the connection.'

'You told me that after you and Adrien agreed to share the bed, he got first pick of sides. Then, he tossed and turned all over one side for ages before asking you to switch. After that, he calmed down almost immediately.'

'What's your point?'

'The first side of the bed was closest to the windows, yes?'

Marinette nodded.

'But the second side was closest to the door.'

Marinette nodded again, less certainly.

Alya smiled. 'Guys want to sleep closer to the door because it's a subconscious instinct to protect their loved ones. They put themselves between you and the most likely point of entry for a threat, to keep you safe.'

Marinette's eyes widened as comprehension sank in. 'That's why he couldn't get comfortable on the side furthest from the door.'

'Exactly,' Alya confirmed with a nod.

'But how does that compare to this morning?'

'Well, I figure guys like to be the big spoon because they feel like they're protecting you.'

'Source?' Marinette asked, sceptically.

'I'm a bona fide woman,' Alya replied.

Marinette hummed, unconvinced.

'Hey, I don't make the rules,' Alya defended herself, holding her hands up.

'You just make stuff up,' Marinette muttered.

Alya gave her a mock-severe stare. 'You can do your own research into the subject, if you want. You'll see I'm right.'

'Ok, Professor Césaire,' Marinette acquiesced.  

'That's right,' Alya returned, feigning superiority.

They laughed and trotted obediently back to Caline when she called, Alya giving her a sly wink when they reached her.

After dinner that night, the girls returned to their rooms without prompting from Caline. Alya went straight to her room, giving Marinette an encouraging two thumbs up as she went.

I _'m not going to bother with a pillow wall tonight_ , Marinette texted.

 _Ooh, how bold_ , Alya teased.

Marinette's response was a confused jumble of letters and half sentences, followed by silence.

Alya snorted and responded to a text from Nino. It was a matter of pride that he never find out someone else had orchestrated this whole set up. So, when he asked how she did it, she avoided answering directly.

Realising the room was too quiet, Alya looked around to see Lila hadn't come back yet. Grinning devilishly, Alya gathered her things and ran into the bathroom. It was the best shower she'd ever had - the water pressure was perfect, the temperature was ideal, and she had all the dry towels she could possibly need. Alya luxuriated in the sensations, using as much shampoo, conditioner, and soap as humanly possible. After she had scrubbed every inch of herself, she placed the bath mat and a towel on the floor. She wrapped another towel around her body, and yet another around her hair. She took her time brushing her teeth, wiping the foam from her mouth and stray splashes of water with the last towel. Feeling particularly vindictive, she placed the hand towel over the toilet seat, letting Lila draw her own conclusions.

She exited the bathroom and crawled into bed, feeling refreshed and relaxed. Lila was waiting with poorly concealed impatience, foot tapping and sneering openly at her as she entered the bathroom. Alya ignored her and spent the next few minutes on her phone, chuckling at Lila's muffled curses. Alya slept well that night.

 

* * *

 

Monday morning, Alya was woken by two squeals. One was Adrien, apparently waking up in another compromising position. The other was Lila, but her yell was more a cry of disgust. Alya smothered her laughter with her blanket as Lila continued to groan and curse.

Alya got up, dressed and ready in record time, while Lila pulled out the contents of her suitcase, one by one. All of her clothes, books and other necessities were soaked and slimy. Alya determinedly looked away when Lila pulled out an empty bottle of hotel shampoo, the lid still popped open. Over the last twenty-four hours, the contents had leaked throughout the bag, rendering everything inside unusable.

'Time to rise and shine, students. We have to be out the door in thirty minutes.'

Lila grunted in annoyance, and went to clean her teeth and brush her hair. She came back, tucked her toiletries inside her suitcase and zipped it shut, her face scrunched up in disgust. She then picked up her suitcase and walked out, still in her pyjamas.

Alya took a deep breath to steady herself, tears of suppressed laughter blurring her vision. She wiped her eyes and left to go rouse Marinette.

Marinette was sitting up in bed, but she was still mostly asleep. Alya smiled and shook her head, before fetching Marinette's day clothes and bundling her into the bathroom. Hopefully, the sound of the shower running was Marinette washing up, and not just staring at the water as it ran down the drain.

Gently, Alya scooped Tikki from a pillow and tucked her into Marinette's purse along with a chocolate chip biscuit. Tikki slept almost as soundly as Marinette and slumbered through her transition of sleeping places. Alya could only smile at the perfect match they made.

When Marinette emerged, clean, dressed, and still half asleep, Alya folded the rest of her things into her suitcase for her, and then dragged the partially catatonic Marinette downstairs.

Alya didn't notice anything amiss until she saw Nino standing at the back of the bus and fussing over an unresponsive Adrien. Caline shot her a significant look as she passed, fuelling Alya's concern.

She pushed Marinette into the window seat across from Adrien and turned to Nino. 'What happened, what do we do now?'

Nino shrugged. 'I don't know. He hasn't spoken at all.'

'Sit down and buckle up, everyone. It's time to go home,' Caline called from the front.

Alya and Nino slid into the seat in front of Adrien, equally apprehensive.

The first hour was tense. Nino described everything he had seen, but had no knowledge of the events prior to Adrien freezing up. Adrien hadn't spoken since then, either, and Marinette was still asleep against the window.

Marinette finally roused an hour and a half into their journey home, blinking myopically and yawning as she stretched her arms. Her movement drew Alya's and Nino's attention, so they swivelled in their seats to watch her. She had also gotten Adrien's attention. Yanked from his stupor, Adrien turned to Marinette with wide eyes. He stared for a moment, face pale and sweating, before pointing at her and screaming.

'You're Ladybug?' he screeched.

Everyone turned and stared, while Marinette froze.

'No, I'm not,' she denied, weakly, sweat gathering on her brow.

Tikki flew up from her purse, looking thoroughly offended. 'Yes, you are,' she cried, indignantly.

Marinette's eyes darted around as the sweat began to run. Clenching her fists, she rose and moved to sit beside Adrien, her eyes fixed on him as he shrank in his seat. Tikki settled back into Marinette's purse, grumbling about how insensitive weilders cold be.

Marinette and Adrien spoke, but Alya couldn't hear what they were saying over the roar of the bus. She hoped they found an amicable resolution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone else think that, in The Pharaoh episode when Plagg told Adrien he could use that face changing ability, he actually meant that Adrien could use it as a disguise so he could move about freely in public? No? Just me, then.  
> I feel that Plagg is often misinterpreted when he's only trying to help. He's really shipper trash, just like the rest of us.


	4. The Worst Kept Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun! Romance! Angst! Conflict! and most importantly, a resolution (of sorts).  
> We finally get Marinette's perspective from the weekend, but is that trouble on the horizon?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's wrap up this train wreck.  
> Let me know if you spot any inconsistencies. I've already had to make a couple of minor adjustments, but I've probably missed a thing or two...  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the last chapter, and thanks for reading!

Marinette's head was spinning. She stared at her feet to try to stop the whirling, but it didn't help.

'There must be some mistake,' she stuttered as she squeezed her key card. 'I'll go check with reception.'

She turned her back on Adrien and sprinted to the elevators, wondering how such a blunder could have happened. She had wanted to use this weekend away as an excuse to get to know Adrien better, but she was not prepared to share a room with him.

She slammed the bell on the receptionist's desk repeatedly until a harassed looking woman emerged from the back.

'Can I help you?' she asked, with a heavy scowl.

'Sorry, I just have a quick question. The rooms booked for College Francois DuPont...  Wasn't there supposed to be seven twin-shares, four for the girls, and three for the boys, in the booking?'

The receptionist regarded Marinette for a moment before turning to her computer. She typed in a perfunctory manner before looking back at Marinette. 'All the information here is correct. Whatever rooming issues you have, it's not the fault of the hotel's.'

Marinette hung her head. 'Ok, thanks for your time.'

She ran back to the elevator, then to Caline Bustier's suite. She pounded on the door until Caline answered with a disapproving frown.

'What is it, Marinette?' she asked.

Marinette forced an apologetic grin. 'Sorry, Madame Bustier, but I think there's a problem.'

Caline's brows drew down. 'What kind of problem?'

Marinette blushed and wrung her hands. 'Well, it would seem there's a mix up with the rooms.'

'What kind of mix up?'

Marinette's blush deepened. 'I'm in the same room as Adrien,' she squeaked. 'Reception says it's not the hotel's fault, so...' she trailed off.

Caline sighed. 'Well, if that's what the hotel said, then I guess we're stuck. You're just going to have to make it work.'

Marinette's eyes bulged as she stared at Caline in disbelief. 'You can't be serious,' she yelped.

Caline raised an eyebrow, and Marinette shrank into herself.

'I'm sure you and Adrien can make do. You're both mature and responsible enough to share a room. Go and get ready, now, we have to leave again soon.'

Marinette trudged back to her room, her nervousness sapping the last of her strength. She clumsily swiped her card and stood just inside the door, hands on her knees. Adrien was standing in the way of the rest of the room, but Marinette was too busy regaining her composure to interpret the look on his face.

'Reception says there was no mistake and Madame Bustier says there's nothing she can do. She just said to make it work,' Marinette wheezed.

Adrien didn't reply, but merely glanced between her and something deeper in the room.

Apprehension gnawed at Marinette's chest. 'Is something wrong?'

Adrien turned red and babbled incoherently, pointing at whatever had made him pause. Marinette edged around him, but stopped when she saw the problem.

_Only one bed?_  she thought in a panic. 'Oh,' she whimpered, aloud.

This was too much. Her brain shut down, and she stood, as frozen as Adrien had been.

Caline's voice from the hallway yanked her out of her trance. Marinette ran to her bags and gathered her things before skirting around Adrien and out the door. She bolted toward the elevators and nearly swooned with relief when she saw Alya there, already waiting.

'You will not believe what is happening right now,' Marinette whisper screamed.

'What's going on?' asked Alya with wide eyes.

Stammering badly, Marinette explained. 'I'm sharing a room with Adrien.'

Alya gaped. 'What? No way.'

'Yes, way. This is so crazy. I get to my room only to see Adrien already there with a matching key. I went to reception, to ask if there had been a mistake with the booking, but they denied all responsibility. Then, I went to see Madame Bustier, but all she did was say to "make it work." But, you know what the real kicker it? I came back to the room only to find there's only one bed. So, not only do I have to share a room with Adrien, but I have to share a bed with him as well.' Marinette huffed, out of breath after her tirade.

Alya steered her into the first elevator, giving her motivational buzz words and slogans until they reached the lobby. Marinette took it all in, desperate for the confidence Alya was always so willing to give. As they walked around the city, however, Marinette's fragile self-possession crumbled.

'I'm going to die,' she moaned.

Alya took the time to build Marinette up all over again, even though it was in the form of jokes at her expense. Marinette took it, though, grateful to have Alya by her side.

Their afternoon project was a bust. Marinette worried she would fail the Cultural Enlightenment weekend away, but Alya didn't appear concerned. She followed Alya's lead, acting nonchalant when they came last in the unofficial class competition. Marinette shrugged, philosophising that there was no way she could have beaten Max and Kim, so it was best to take the defeat with good graces.

Dinner was a quiet affair at her table, that night. Marinette's attention kept drifting toward Adrien as he sat with the boys, Marinette missing most of the conversation at her own table. She couldn't help but admire his smile, and cherish the sound of his laugh. Once dinner was over, though, her nerves returned with vigour.

'I can't do this,' she whispered to Alya when they left the elevators.

'Yes, you can, Girl,' Alya replied, firmly, as she pushed Marinette into her room. 'This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Go.'

As Alya slammed the door shut, Marinette couldn't help but feel abandoned. Slowly, she gathered her toiletries and pyjamas, and went to have a long, hot shower, hoping to calm her lingering nerves.

When she emerged, Adrien was sitting in the chair by the window, framed by the ugliest set of curtains she had ever seen. Even he couldn't make them look good.

Standing up, Adrien said, 'you can have the bed. I'll sleep in the chair.'

Marinette's eyes turned back to him. 'I couldn't let you do that,' she said. 'You'll get a crick in your neck. You won't be able to sleep, and tomorrow you'll be tired and sore. Unable to focus, you'll get hit by a car when you cross the road, end up in hospital and die,' she exclaimed.

She hoped he would take the bed graciously, but he proved to be surprisingly stubborn, saying he wanted her to have the bed. Marinette turned mulish in return, insisting he take the bed. They came to a stalemate, staring each other down while silently willing the other to surrender.

'Since neither of us wants the other to take the chair, how about we both take the bed? It's big enough to comfortably fit us both,' Adrien suggested.

Marinette's thoughts fizzled to a stop. Her arms came up to her chest in an effort to hold herself together, lest she burst with awestruck anticipation. She felt her cheeks burn and saw Adrien squirm under her stare, but she was unable to respond.

_Oh, my God_ , she thought, giddily.  _Share a bed with my sweet Adrien, at his suggestion? If this is a dream, don't wake me up._

It was a mixed blessing when Adrien misinterpreted her reaction. As much as she wanted to throw her arms around him and scream her undying love, it would also be horrifically embarrassing if he knew what she was thinking. Instead, she accepted his offer with all the grace she could muster, even offering him first choice of sides.

He tossed and turned all over the bed before settling on the side closest to the door. When he went to shower, Marinette leapt from the bed to her suitcase.

'Tikki, wake up. I need a distraction. Now.'

Tikki drifted up from the depths of the bag, blinking sleepily. 'A distraction, is it? Hm, did you know that seventeen percent of all statistics are made up on the spot?'

Marinette's eyes widened for a moment before she narrowed them, critically. 'Ha ha, you're so funny.'

Tikki grinned. 'I should be a comedian. I'm way more humorous than Plagg and Trixx, combined.'

Marinette raised an eyebrow, sceptically. 'Uh-huh. Anyway, Adrien is mere feet away, lathered up and buck naked. What should I do?' Marinette blushed at her choice of words.

Tikki sighed and patted Marinette's nose. 'Calm down, it's not like you're going to barge in on him. Now, go to the storage closet.'

Marinette rose and moved toward the closet, looking back at Tikki expectantly.

'Now, take out all the spare pillows,' Tikki instructed.

Marinette pulled out the six spare pillows and tossed them to the floor on her side of the bed.

'When the two of you turn in for the night, use those pillows to make a wall down the centre of the bed,' Tikki explained.

'How will this help, exactly?' Marinette asked, dubiously.

'You're a sloppy sleeper. With a wall there, you won't roll all over Adrien while you're asleep.'

Marinette's eyes bulged and her blush returned. 'I hadn't even thought of that.'

Tikki nodded. 'It's a good thing you have me.'

'I'll say,' Marinette agreed.

Marinette pulled a container of biscuits out of her suitcase and passed one to Tikki, who accepted it with thanks, before settling on a chair to eat it.

Marinette had just tucked the container back into her suitcase when Adrien left the bathroom. Marinette stood up abruptly, glancing from Tikki, concealed by the arms of the chair, to a spot behind Adrien's shoulder.

'How did this even happen?' Adrien asked as he slumped over.

Marinette began to feel sorry for him. She was sharing a room with her crush - a dream come true. But he was sharing with a girl he barely knew. He probably thought she would sell his underwear on eBay. Adrien was a celebrity in his own right, and probably had to deal with creepy fan girls on an almost daily basis. This whole scenario was a great unknown to him with huge potential for disaster.

Marinette smoothed out her expression, hoping to give off an aura of calmness and security. 'Everyone else made sure to get matching keys. Only you, me, Alya, and Nino were careless enough to just grab anything,' she guessed.

They each heaved a quiet sigh before slipping cautiously into bed. Marinette grabbed her phone from the bedside table and texted Alya. She vented her panicked thoughts, secure in the knowledge that Alya would keep her secrets.

_Help. Sharing with him! One bed. Pillow blockade. What do? Send help, asap!_

_Stop blowing up my phone, I'm right here_ , replied Alya.

_Adrien. Bed. Sharing. One bed. His foot touched me!_

_Goodnight, Mari_ , Alya sent back.

Marinette stared mournfully at her phone when no more messages came.

While Adrien continued texting Nino, Marinette fetched the spare pillows from the floor and lay them down the middle of the bed. Adrien merely glanced at her curiously for a moment before turning back to his phone.

While she worked, Tikki slipped into bed beside her. Marinette gave her a soft smile as she finished laying out the extra pillows. She checked her phone to make sure her alarm was on, then turned to Adrien.

'You ready for lights-out?' asked Adrien.

'Yeah,' she answered, switching off her bedside lamp and wriggling down into the blankets.

'Ok. Goodnight, Marinette,' Adrien said, turning off his own light.

'Goodnight, Adrien.'

Sleep was elusive that night, slipping from her grasp with every motion Adrien made. She lay still, trying not to disturb him, and closed her eyes.

 

* * *

 

Marinette was frightened into wakefulness by someone screaming her name directly into her ear. She propelled herself upward and looked around in stunned confusion, until she saw Adrien as he stared down at her, smiling widely.

Her shock turned to outrage as she hurled pillows and insults at him. He avoided her projectiles easily, only fuelling her ire. When she ran out of pillows, she leaned over the side of the bed and picked up her shoe. It sailed over his shoulder, but Adrien got the message. Marinette's sleep was not to be trifled with, particularly after a night of very little rest.

Grumbling obscenities under her breath, Marinette went into the bathroom to clean up and dress, retrieving her shoe on the return trip. She shot Adrien a last, dirty look before leaving to find Alya.

Alya waited with polite impatience by the elevators. She took in Marinette's uneven pigtails and sour disposition with a questioning expression. 'What happened?' she asked.

Marinette hunched her shoulders. 'Nothing,' she muttered.

'Come on, Girl. You can talk to me,' she urged, quietly, as they took the elevator down.

Marinette didn't want to admit to the foolish way Adrien had woken her up. It made her feel like the butt of a joke. She wasn't proud of her reaction, either. It had been a harmless prank, but she was overtired and had overreacted.

_Adrien probably thinks I can't take a joke now_ , she thought, morosely.

Instead of admitting to her faults, Marinette told her the second most embarrassing encounter from the morning. 'I think I pushed Adrien out of bed this morning,' she confessed.

She had thought her voice was low enough not to be heard, but Alix's and Kim's muffled laughs proved otherwise. She ignored their snickers as best she could, but shame burned in her chest.

She admitted to her other worries about being a rough sleeper, and how Adrien might think poorly of her for that, but Alya was quick to assuage her fears. Marinette was loathe to admit to how Adrien had woken her up, but thought the small omission wasn't a big deal, and refused to think on it any more.

That day, Caline took them to see two operas at different theatres. Marinette failed to pay any attention to the plots, but focussed intently on the costumes. Both companies had elaborate, and extensive, wardrobes which inspired Marinette immediately. She regretted leaving her sketch book at home, but made notes in her school books of design elements she would like to try and incorporate into her own pieces. Carmen's dress in particular reminded her of Ladybug's costume, and she wondered if she could create a Ladybug inspired Spanish gown.

When the day was done, Marinette's paranoia took hold once more. Sitting in her room with Alya as they wrote their essays, her old fears plagued her and prevented her from doing any real work. Finally, she gave in. 'I don't know if I can do this.'

'Shake your hand out, and write whatever crap comes to mind,' Alya suggested, absently.

Marinette had a moment of confusion, then shook her head. 'I don't mean the essay. What do I do about Adrien?'

It was a double pronged question. Alya, however, decided it was simply a continuation of their conversation from that morning. 'Oh. Well, if you did push him out of bed, then the logical thing to do would be to apologise.'

That was the logical option, and it covered all her bases. Yes, she feared she had kicked Adrien out of bed, but she also worried he thought of her as rude and humourless. Marinette wanted him to think highly of her, so if she made a mistake, she would have to be mature and apologise. She sighed. Apologising was an admission of guilt, and as such, was a hard thing to do. Even adults avoided doing so when they thought they could.

Alya finished writing and left, a look of grim resignation on her face. Marinette reread her essay and worried she might have missed the point of the question, but she had already written four pages.

_Too late to change it now,_  she thought as she tucked the pages away.

Adrien returned, and they went through their nightly routines in an uncomfortable silence. Marinette wanted to initiate the conversation, but didn't know where to begin. As she was reinforcing her pillow wall, she decided to just do it.

'I'm sorry if I pushed you out of bed this morning,' she began. It wasn't quite what she wanted to say, but it was a start.

'You didn't,' he told her with a smile. 'You didn't spread out until after I got up and chucked the pillows away.'

Marinette sighed in relief; there was one obstacle out of the way. 'That's good,' she said as she crawled into bed.

'If you're ready?' he asked, his hand hovering over the lamp switch.

Marinette's lamp was already off. 'I'm ready,' she confirmed.

He switched of his light and settled down to sleep.

_Coward_ , Marinette berated herself.

 

* * *

 

Marinette drifted slowly into consciousness with great reluctance. She was enveloped in a delicious warmth, and a comforting weight pressed against her back and side. She tried to stretch her legs out, but they were blocked from behind. Marinette was confused, but not distressed enough to investigate the anomaly.

_This is nice_ , she thought, hazily.

It wasn't until she registered a warm, repetitive, puff of air against her head that she began to question her situation. The fog of sleep lifted enough for curiosity to take over, and urge her to look around.

Adrien had shifted over during the night and was currently pressed against her back, arms loosely wrapped around her. Marinette froze for one heartbeat, two, and then screamed as she sat bolt upright. Adrien moved like he'd gotten an electric shock, spouting apologies as he looked around in apparent confusion.

Marinette turned away, too embarrassed to look at him. He probably didn't even realise what he was apologising for. After a brief, laden silence, they surged into motion. Adrien went to his suitcase, as Marinette ducked into the bathroom. She leaned against the door and let out a shaky breath.

_How?_  she thought, desperately.

Marinette met Alya at their usual meeting place, her face hot, and she walked with an unnatural stiffness that Alya noticed immediately.

'Is everything ok?' Alya asked in alarm as she placed a hand on Marinette's shoulder.

Marinette stared back, still in shock. 'Am I dead?' she asked the universe.

Alya was badly confused, but kept comfortingly close to Marinette all morning. Marinette didn't even realise where they were going, simply trusting Alya to lead her in the right direction. Colours and words swirled around her, but nothing settled. All she could think about was Adrien's arms, and how  nice they had felt.

She would never admit it aloud, but waking up in his embrace had been heavenly. He was comforting, warm, and he smelled good. He also felt unexpectedly solid. His chest and stomach had been firm, his arms strong and capable.

_All that fencing has really paid off_ , Marinette thought, deliriously.

She had regretted spoiling the moment the instant she had opened her mouth. She had been living her innermost fantasies and then spoiled it by screaming. She wanted to kick herself.

By lunch, a resigned melancholy had settled over Marinette, which calmed her racing heart and allowed actual thoughts in. Over their midday meal, she told Alya what had happened, but kept her feelings to herself. Her dreams were her own, and very personal, not something available for public scrutiny.

Despite herself, Marinette was lifted by Alya's analysis of the situation. It was pseudoscience at best, but Alya's conviction was heart-warming. After that, Marinette was able to pay attention to their museum guide, but maintained a respectable distance from Adrien. He looked like he was battling his own demons.

After dinner, the girls went to their rooms first, Alya shooting Marinette an encouraging double thumbs up before she left. Following her own example from the previous evening, Marinette relaxed under a hot shower while Tikki ate snacks in her suitcase.

Adrien passed her when she was done, looking haggard and tired, as he headed for his own shower. Marinette glanced after him, wincing in sympathy.

She texted Alya as she lay in bed, waiting for Adrien.

_I'm not going to bother with a pillow wall tonight_ , Marinette sent.

_Ooh, how bold_ , Alya replied.

Marinette blushed. _I just. It wasn't. It didn't work, anyway. Leave me._  She gave up after that.

Adrien finally emerged, looking better than he had before.

'No Great Dividing Range tonight?' he asked, humour lighting his eyes.

Marinette quashed the urge to grin back at him. 'Since it didn't seem to be doing any good, I didn't see the point. I hope you don't mind.'

Adrien laughed softly. 'No, I get it. It was pretty ineffective.'

They settled in and wished each other a good night. Marinette wasn't sure if she wanted a repeat performance of that morning, or not.

 

* * *

 

Marinette woke up sluggish and heavy. Adrien spoke to her, but she forgot what he said as she drifted back into sleep. There was a yell and a series of thuds, but Marinette couldn't rouse enough to pay attention. Suddenly, Alya was there, heaving her up and pushing her into the bathroom.

The shower woke her enough that she could dress and make her way safely downstairs, but that was it. As soon as she set foot on the bus, her eyelids drooped and Alya was pushing her into a seat against the window. Marinette slumped against it, lulled by the sun streaming in and the underlying rumble of the bus engine.

She didn't know how long she slept, but when she finally woke and stretched, she felt wonderfully well rested.

Until Adrien began to bellow, pointing at her.

'You're Ladybug?' he demanded.

Marinette's brain spluttered to an undignified stop. A quick glance around told her that everyone had heard and were now staring at her with wide, expectant eyes.

'No, I'm not,' she denied, weakly, sweat gathering on her brow. She thought she may have convinced a few people, until Tikki flew from her purse.

 'Yes, you are,' she cried, utterly offended.

Marinette couldn't believe this was happening, and that Adrien and Tikki, of all people, were the ones to expose her. She felt hurt, angry and confused. Seeing no alternative, she got up and went to sit next to Adrien, with Tikki still in her purse and peering out with an unhappy expression.

'Explain. Now,' she instructed, keeping her voice low.

Adrien blanched, his eyes growing wide. 'I'm sorry,' he muttered. 'It's just the shock. That's no excuse, I know - '

'Just tell me how you know,' Marinette interrupted him, leaning in and frowning severely.

Adrien leaned back, sweat trickling from his temple. He told her what had happened, stressing that it wasn't really anyone's fault, but accepting the blame for shouting her secret to everyone present.

'While I know most of our classmates are trustworthy, there may be one or two who aren't. The bus driver, we don't know at all. You could've exposed me to the entire world. How am I supposed to salvage this?' she asked.

Adrien hung his head. 'Let me talk to them. If I can't convince them, maybe I can pay them off.'

Marinette didn't like the idea of just throwing money at the problem, but some people were motivated by greed. 'Do whatever it takes,' she hissed.

She returned to her seat, hurt and disappointed, as Adrien stared miserably after her.

For the next forty-five minutes, Adrien spoke to their classmates, teacher, and the driver, convincing and cajoling them into keeping Marinette's secret. They all agreed, Adrien assured her, but Marinette was not ready to forgive him, or Tikki, just yet.

Tikki, for reasons of her own, had retreated into Marinette's purse and refused to come out. So, Marinette placed the bag on the vacant seat beside hers and ignored Tikki in return.

Eventually, Adrien stood and headed toward the front of the bus. 'I have an announcement,' he called, holding up his hands to get their attention. 'I don't know how I can ever make this up to you, Marinette,' he said, contrition clear in his voice, 'but I think I can at least put us on even ground.'

Marinette gazed at him, suspiciously.

'Everyone, I am Chat Noir,' he proclaimed, without preamble. 'Plagg, transform me.'

In a flash, Adrien turned into Chat Noir, followed by polite applause from their classmates. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it.

Marinette was shocked.  _That stupid Cat_ , her thoughts shrieked.

Outwardly, Marinette's mouth hung open and her eyes were wide. She pointed mutely at him, unable to make her voice work.

Chat Noir approached her and took her hand, holding it delicately. 'I'm so sorry, Milady. I know this doesn't make up for my blunder, but I'll do whatever it takes to keep you and your loved ones safe. I only hope that, one day, I'll earn my way back into your good graces.'

Marinette could only nod. Chat Noir gave her a small smile and pushed her jaw shut with a finger under her chin. He detransformed and returned to his own seat.

After an internal debate, Marinette huffed in defeat and moved to sit beside him, taking his hand in hers. She blushed and refused to look at him, but Adrien gently squeezed her hand in understanding.

 

* * *

 

Marinette dragged her suitcase up the stairs and into her living room. 'You will not believe the weekend I just had,' she called, leaving her bags at the bottom of the stairs to her room.

Sabine came from the kitchen and hugged her tight. 'Did you and that nice Agreste boy finally get together?' she asked, eagerly.

Marinette blushed, furiously. 'What? No. I don't know. Maybe? No!'

Sabine tutted. 'Well, you'd better get a move on. He has a lot of admirers, for himself as a model, and for his work as Chat Noir.'

Marinette's jaw fell open. 'How could you possibly know about that?' she demanded, flabbergasted.

'Does he know you're Ladybug yet? He's been pining after you for so long now. I feel sorry for the poor boy,' Sabine continued, as if she hadn't heard Marinette speak.

'Maman,' Marinette cried. 'How do you know all this?'

'Oh, Honey.' Sabine stroked Marinette's cheek with a sympathetic smile. 'Everyone knows.'

'Ev... Everyone?' Marinette could feel the blood draining from her face.

Sabine sighed. 'Yes, Dear. Everyone,' she stressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *At Marinette's place the following day*  
> Adrien: Wait. You're saying the whole world knows about us?  
> Alya: Guys. You transform behind trees and park benches. There are also cameras everywhere.  
> Nino: I'm sorry we didn't tell you, we just didn't want to break the illusion. It'd be like telling a kid there's no Santa.  
> Adrien: There's no Santa? I don't want to live on this planet anymore.  
> Plagg: Can you believe this guy?  
> Tikki: That's why I was so annoyed with Mari. Seriously, how could you not notice the whole world already knows? Also, it was extremely hurtful when you denied being Ladybug.  
> Mari: Sorry, Tikki.  
> Adrien: But... Papillon?  
> Plagg: Pities you.  
> Adrien and Mari are deeply embarrassed by their utter lack of stealth skills for the rest of eternity.


End file.
